EUGENE A. HUNTER

SCARBOROUGH – Eugene A. Hunter passed away Aug. 15, 2010, after a long illness. Gene was born Oct. 23, 1922, in Presque Isle, the eldest of five children born to Else (Moran) and Alfred E. Hunter. A native of Aroostook County, Gene had lived in the Greater Portland area with Mary, his beloved spouse of more than 50 years. After graduating from Presque Hill School in 1940, Gene attended Colby College for two years before entering the U.S. Army in World War II. Gene was a combat veteran and was particularly proud to have participated in Battle of the Hurtgen Forest and Battle for the Remagen Bridge. After more than four years of military service, Gene returned to Colby and graduated in 1948 with a degree in history. While at Colby, Gene excelled in basketball and baseball. Gene began his distinguished career in public education at Houlton High School, where he taught history and coached basketball. Thereafter, he taught and coached at Wilton Academy; Morse High School, Bath; Portsmouth High School, Portsmouth, N.H.; and finally South Portland High School. Gene’s athletic success included winning state championships in basketball while at Morse High School, Portsmouth High School and South Portland High School. He is the only Maine high school coach to have won state championships in two different states. After retiring from high school coaching, Gene served 10 years as the athletic director at South Portland High School and retired from that position in 1984. Gene resumed his coaching career at the middle school level and coached boys and girls teams at Portland area middle schools including Lincoln, Cheverus and Scarborough. Gene concluded a coaching career that spanned more than 60 years at age 85. His contributions to education have been recognized by his selection as Maine High School Coach of the Year and Athletic Director of the Year, and by his induction into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, and New England Basketball Hall of Fame. He was, however, always most proud of the achievements and accomplishments of his players later in life. He believed that participation in high school athletics was often a significant contributor to the success that students later enjoyed, and he took great satisfaction in his role in helping to shape the lives of so many young men and women throughout the years. Gene was predeceased by his mother, Elsie; his father, Alfred; his brother, Dana; and his first wife, Joan Michael Reed Hunter. Gene was the loving father of seven children, Mark, Allen, Marcia, George, Paul, Stephanie and Dawn; 21 grand-children and five great-grandchildren. Gene is also survived by his brother, Dwight Hunter and his wife, Nancy; sisters, Anne (Hunter) Leonard and her husband, Robert, and Mary Ellen (Hunter) Dobson and her husband, Don; and by Dana’s widow, Nan Hunter. The family expresses its sincere gratitude and appreciation for the loving care that Maine Medical Center Cardiac Intensive Care Unit staff provided to Gene in his final days. A memorial service honoring Gene’s life will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Road, Scarborough. Arrangements are under the guidance of Independent Death Care, 660 Brighton Ave., Portland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gene Hunter Memorial Scholarship Fund at South Portland High School. Please make out checks to SPHS, attention Jeanne Crocker, 637 Highland Ave., South Portland, ME 04106. To offer words of condolence, sign a guest book and share memories, please go the obituary page at www.indpendentdeathcare.com.